SWT Sports Writer
sports@southwesttimes.com
Saturday’s Second Annual “Old School” Alumni basketball game at Pulaski Middle School was a ton of fun featuring some of the greatest Pulaski players in program history, but also helped a worthwhile cause. All proceeds from the event will go to the Brenda King Scholarship Fund at Pulaski County High School.
The game featured alumni of Pulaski County High School that played during the Allen Wiley-Arthur Johnson coaching era from 1974 to 1988
Both teams were divided into odd and even graduating class numbers. The “Odd” team consisted of Mark Hanks (’79), Dennis Shrewsberry (’71), Roy Flynn (’79), David Webb (’81), Jerome Brown (’83), Jerome Conner (’87), and Barry McCloud (’87).
The “Even” team was Anthony Akers (’88), Michael Flynn (’88), Daniel Brown (’80), Ronnie Patterson (’75), Sammy Poindexter (’82), and Randy Olverson (’80). The teams would play four 10 minute quarters to decide the winner.
The early action saw the “elder statesmen” in the game, Dennis Shrewsberry, play extremely well against some of his younger counterparts. Shrewsberry would score eight points in the opening quarter. However, his team would trail after one quarter, 16-13.
Shrewsberry would continue to score in the second quarter and guide his team. However, Michael Flynn wouldn’t miss from the three-point line and scored 10 points in the quarter. Teammate Daniel Brown added seven points and the “Even” team took a 38-31 lead into halftime.
At halftime, two longtime Pulaski coaches who many of the participants had played for were honored for their hard work and dedication by their former players. Former head coach Allen Wiley and his assistant Arthur Johnson were given plaques for their longtime service to the Pulaski County High School boy’s basketball program.
“Well, I’m not much for words, but the game meant a whole lot to me,” Wiley said. “Most of them played for me. To see them play meant a lot to me. To see Arthur Johnson, that meant a whole lot to me. I’m serious when I say this, but I don’t remember a practice that he missed.”
“It’s not often that kids you work with come back and honor you like they did tonight,” Johnson said. “I love each and every one of them and worked hard with them. I was fresh out of college when I started here at Pulaski County. I love it. There is nothing they wouldn’t do for me and there is nothing I wouldn’t do for them.”
“Playing for Coach Wiley over the years helped me out as well as some of the other guys,” said Randy Olverson, who co-organized the event with Anthony Akers. “As we said earlier, Coach Johnson was always there to pick us up from practice with coach Hickman. We just appreciate all that they have done for us over the years. It made us better men. They were always rough on us, but it helped us.”
Also during halftime of the game, several activities occurred. Olverson stood at center court and gave away some great prizes. Carolyn Lane was the winner of the biggest prize, a curio cabinet. David Crabtree won the $100 Marathon gas cards donated by Jordan’s Oil. Here is a list of the other prize winners:
Terrance Horton ($25 Wal-Mart Gift Card), Annette Anderson (Three-night stay at Best Western Jacuzzi Suite), Ellen Poindexter (Comfort Inn Stay), Christine Day ($20 gift certificate to Northside Flower Shop), Marva Hickman ($20 gift certificate to Dreama Dawn Flower Shop), Emily Church (10 tanning sessions at Cougar Express), Tyree Brown (Kyle Petty racecar), and Teal Mitchell (Personal floor heater from Hayden Electric) were also winners of prizes.
When play resumed in the third quarter, Anthony Akers would catch fire from three-point territory, as he scored 3 three-point baskets in the quarter, as the “Even” team appeared headed for victory with a 55-44 lead after three quarters.
However, the “Odd” team continued making basket after basket in the fourth, while the “Even” team just couldn’t get a shot to fall. It would be a bucket by Shrewsberry that gave his team a 61-60 lead late in the quarter. The “Even” team would try to score in the waning seconds, but failed to do so, as the “Odd” team took the game.
Shrewsberry would finish with a game-high 25 points. After the game, he recounted his playing time during the game and the memories he had from the past.
“It is real nostalgic getting together with all the guys,” Shrewsberry said. “Some guys you hadn’t seen in a while. We were doing what we enjoy best especially. The main reason being the cause and trying to help some people out who need some help. In the gym, it is nice to see the familiar ‘orange and black’. I played all my high school ball here. I probably know every dead spot in the floor. It’s nice to get in here and play some ball.”
While the final score read 61-60 in favor of the “Odd” team, the real winners in this were the King family and the Brenda King Scholarship fund. 60 to 70 people attended the game, which raised over $1,800 dollars for the scholarship fund. Both of Brenda’s children, Jared and Kelly, both came from Charlottesville and Roanoke respectively to view the game.
“It says a lot that these people by knowing my mom would support the cause,” said Jared King. “A lot of these people knew her before I was born. To see these people that I haven’t seen in years is pretty cool.”
“We live in a community that supports great causes,” said Anthony Akers, co-organizer of the game. “For people to come out to give to a scholarship fund in memory of Brenda King, that says a lot about Pulaski County. People can say what they want to say. Pulaski County is a community full of givers and people that want to do the right thing.”
(10-28-09)
No comments:
Post a Comment